Energy

Energy Saving Trust:

Residential Energy Advice notes: These advice notes have been prepared by the Council to help residents identify cost effective ways to improve the energy efficiency in their homes. Savings made on energy bills will often cover the costs in a couple of years (i.e. the payback period).  There's a different note for different homes, find yours:

Water

Thames Water:

Waterwise:

  • Water saving tips for the home

Waste

Give & Take: Your rubbish could be someone else’s treasure.  A website run by local organisation Forest Recycling Project for people to give away things they don’t need and others to take what they do need.

Reuse Centre: Pick up a bargain at the Kings Road Reuse Centre. The centre is full of goods that residents have discarded and are good enough to sell. Opening times are Friday-Saturday 10am-2pm. Address: 48 Kings Road, Chingford, E4 7HR (near Pimp Hall).

Love Food Hate Waste: If we all stop wasting food that could have been eaten, the CO2 impact would be the equivalent of taking 1 in4 cars off the road. Make more of your leftovers and learn how to better plan your shopping.

Real Nappy Campaign: Get your free voucher for Real Nappies from us.

Recycling: Find out what you can recycle where in Waltham Forest.

Green Waste: For residents with a backyard, order a compost bin and start composting or for residents with street frontage to store a container, recycle your green waste and food waste.

Charity Shops: Find some great bargains at your local charity shop like clothes, books, bags and shoes. Why buy new stuff when there’s so much great old stuff that costs less.  And don’t forget to donate your old stuff to charity shops who always need stock.

Transport

Energy Saving Trust:

  • Flying and cruise ships are the most carbon intensive forms of transport, consider other options to make your holiday greener
  • Driving smarter will not only reduce CO2 emissions but you’ll also save money by using less fuel.
  • Consider the green options when buying a car.

Sustrans: Go on a walking or cycling holiday

Walk it: For short journey’s instead of driving or taking the bus, why not walk instead, you’ll not only feel better, but save money too.  Walkit will help find the quickest routes, routes avoiding main roads, carbon saved and how long it takes.

Cycling: Cycling is a fast, efficient and reliable form of transport.  It can help you to avoid traffic, keeps you fit and saves you money.  Visit the borough’s Cycling webpages, TFL or London Cycling Campaign for information on cycling in Waltham Forest.

Bike Recycling Centre: Buy a reconditioned bike or learn how to maintain your own bike (second Saturday of each month 10am-12noon).

Free cycling lessons: Don’t feel confident on the road? Live, work or study in the borough? Get free cycle training.

Car Club: Access pay-as-you-go cars when needed, for as little or as long as is required, just book it, drive it and return it.  If you don’t use a car much, it could be a cheaper alternative to car ownership or owning a second car. There are 17 cars around the borough currently, join Streetcar today.

Liftshare: Drive by yourself? Halve the cost of petrol just by sharing with someone going the same way.  Use Liftshare to find a car share buddy.

Food

National Trust: Learn about growing your own food, and get some good tips on what to grow when with Eat Seasonably Campaign.

Organiclea: Join their veggie box scheme, learn how to grow, volunteer at their nursery, do a course or buy their vegetables.

Biodiversity and natural habitats

Adopt a tree or flower bed: You can adopt a tree through the borough's Adopt-a-Flowerbed or Adopt-a-Tree scheme.

Buy Green

Fairtrade: Buy Fairtrade